Many teachers suffer bullying by pupils, poll finds

Two-thirds of teachers claim they have been bullied or harassed at school or college in the last two years, and in 65% of cases pupils were the perpetrators.

The results of a survey published this afternoon by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), revealed that in one-fifth of cases, teachers said they were bullied or harassed by their line manager.

In 14% of cases, the person responsible was another colleague, the survey of 5,000 teachers showed.

When teachers were asked what type of bullying took place they said that in 44% of cases they were subjected to "general abuse"; comments about body image accounted for 15% of incidents, and sexist comments were at the heart of 4% of cases.

Ageist comments were behind 9% of occasions when teachers said they felt bullied or harassed, compared to 7% of incidents linked to racist remarks and 5% due to homophobic comments.

Some 4% of teachers said they were the victims of harassment because of their faith, while 2% said their disability was the cause of being bullied.

The survey also found that 14% of teachers had been harassed or bullied outside of school in the last two years

Commenting on the report, Bullying, Harassment and Personal Safety, the union's general secretary, Chris Keates, said it was "disturbing reading".

Speaking at the union's annual conference in Belfast today, she said: "Too many teachers are working in intolerable circumstances."

"It is unacceptable that 81% of those surveyed have suffered from work-related stress in the last two years.

"An overwhelming majority of teachers have been subject to some form of bullying and harassment in the same period. It is clear that the health and welfare of staff is not being safeguarded."

When teachers were asked if they had suffered from work-related stress, 81% said they had, and in 31% of cases it had led to them taking time off work.

The teachers said "excessive work hours" was the cause of stress in 59% of cases. This was followed by poor working environment( 39%); inspections (34%); verbal assault (30%); harassment (26%) and physical assault (10%).

The results of the survey follow warnings from the NASUWT and other teacher unions during this year's national conferences that some careers are being ruined by pupils who falsely claim they have been abused by teachers.

The teacher unions have also highlighted the growing trend of teachers at the receiving end of cyber-bullying with pupils posting video clips or comments about them on websites such as YouTube and ratemyteachers.com.